Last week, our own Lindi Peterson touched briefly on the topic of black moments framed from the perspective of The Storm Before the Rainbow. Many of you know I’ve experienced my own storm this past year, and I’ve clung to the hope of seeing the rainbow with everything I’ve had. Today I’d like to go deeper on the topic, and maybe even get a little personal.
If you’re still not clear on the term “black moment,” it’s that pivotal point between the second and third act when all hope seems lost. The main character is faced with losing what their heart longs for most—what they’ve been fighting for or against the whole story—and must face internal conflict that’s driven them to or from their goal all along.
Generally, it’s a false belief (i.e. I’ll never love again, I can’t be with him/her) or fear (i.e. everyone leaves, I’m unworthy of love) or both. Whatever it is, that thing holds them back from moving forward toward their happy ending until they confront it and accept the truth.
It’s especially beautiful in Christian fiction because we know the Source of all hope, freedom, and love, so when the hero or heroine faces their darkest moment, there’s a natural opportunity for them to be free of it in Christ. Obviously, that doesn’t always require a profound salvation moment on the pages. Many times it’s simply applying what they know to be true because of their faith and finally surrendering it to the Lord. Christian characters, like real-life Christians, naturally go through storms that require us to surrender.
To be completely honest, I don’t always love black moments in fiction.
I’ve been known to choose books by authors who don’t write them at all (like Brooke St. James), simply because I’ve had enough black moments in my life or in my loved one’s lives that I just need something completely happy to escape into. A romance where the relationships are easy. There’s conflict, obviously, because conflict always drives any story, but that conflict doesn’t always come from an internal issue or tension between hero and heroine. Sometimes it’s a circumstance or inconvenience that they deal with, without a lot of drama, and everything ends well.
But while I thrive on those books, they aren’t typically the ones that stick with us. The books that leave a profound mark—when we close the cover with a sigh and simply hold it in our arms, savoring that deliciously satisfying feeling—give us that satisfaction by putting us through the wringer. By putting the characters through the wringer. The deeper the lows, the more gratifying the highs.
It’s been two years of black (at at least dark and bleak) moments for most everyone I know, but this is where the power of story really hits home for me. Where story translates from fictional escape to real-world application. The victories we read on the pages give us hope that in our own black moments, God will be there for us, too, speaking love and truth and peace into our storms and reminding us that He made the rainbow to come after as a promise.
Sometimes I write my own personal black moments into my characters.
For instance, Ada in More Than Enough battles perfectionism and feelings she’ll never be enough no matter how much she does and does and does for other people. It was hard to knock her down in the length of a novella, but I know all too well how those feelings can be a tripping hazard and get in the way of surrendering all to the Father. I sat in that theater with her, knowing intimately that no amount of doing and helping and fixing will ever be enough to silence the lies that I AM NOT enough. But HE is.
Jenna from Whatever Happens Next cries out to God because she used to hear His voice so naturally. She sees the dust on her Bible and opens its pages and wonders why He no longer speaks to her that way. Does He still love her? Why can’t she hear Him anymore? Feel His presence? Oh, how I cried with her because I was going through my own dry spell spiritually and I ACHED to feel His embrace again.
And while I’ve never personally endured what Gina in Whatever Comes Our Way did, I’ve had panic attacks. I’ve felt the slithers of anxiety crawling under my skin and keeping me from trusting the Lord completely.
For these characters, their black moments had the potential to keep them separated from the loves of their lives, from finding romance and happily ever afters. That may not be the risk we face in our own black moments, of course, but that doesn’t mean fictional black moments don’t still translate into our own realities.
Every time I’ve faced my own darkest moments, knowing God was there, that He saw me, CHANGED ME permanently. He took something that was crushing me and keeping me from Him and performed open heart surgery, removing that issue and replacing it with a story of victory that I can walk in each day. I can remember MY story and help impact someone else’s by sharing it in some way.
Next month, I’ll be speaking at a women’s conference on my very blackest, capital letters Black Moment. Reliving it all as I put together my message—looking at the pictures of what I looked like at my worst in the hospital as I fought for my life, re-reading texts and posts from those weeks—has been HARD. It’s putting me through the wringer all over again. But I can’t wait to tell this story. I can’t wait for the opportunity to write those feelings into future characters.
All because of the power of story; the power of testimony. The power of the black moment to move us from our stuck place, our worst place, into HIS best for us. The line between fiction and reality is often a thin one. And praise God for that. Because isn’t it wonderful to have hope? To know that after the darkest of night comes the dawn?
So tell me in the comments—what fictional black moment resonated deeply within you? What character’s pivotal moment left an impact on you because you understood it and felt understood yourself? (Titles/authors without spoilers, please.)
Remember, we’re in the middle of the Back to School Bash, so your comments become entries into our many, many amazing giveaways! I can’t wait to see what inspirational romance titles you suggest. And if you have some go-to authors for escaping black moments entirely, well, I’m totally open to those as well. We need a bit of balance in our lives, don’t we? Ha ha!
Until next time,
I enjoy high adventure, suspense, mystery, a little romance, strong Christian values. In a day and age where everyone is saying accept us all just the way we are, but mean become like us instead of like christ, I appreciate reading a real life book that let’s the bible be the guide. I also like it when a character learns something new. For instance growth in their character as a person before God. And growth as a person in relationships. I feel like this is almost all I’ve done since being married the last 11 years. And not well I might add.
Jaycee, I am praising the Lord along with you, your family and friends that you have recovered after your long road with Covid. I am not coming up with an author or book that has been my go to in dark moments. The one that I have been leaning on so much is the Bible. I have to say that as I navigate the issues with my parents, Mom is under Hospice care,, Dad is going to be released from a nursing home after being admitted in June from a secondary pneumonia from his Covid pneumonia in January. I have been escaping by reading romantic suspense. I understand this group is all romance. I have also enjoyed reading Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
can’t think of any
It’s the black moments that show us our strengths and weaknesses.
Its interesting a couple books I struggled to get through (like looking to see I still wasn’t halfway through the book) were full on angsts mainly the heroine and now I understand they were black moments. One IN particular stands out due to the fact it kept happening the book could have ended about 3 or 4 times as there would be the black moment then the reunion and a perfect ending only to go onto another crisis (often where the heroine was unbelievable in some due to her reactions) but then it would be resolved and yes we would go to another crisis. It was partly due to the author wanting a certain even in the book where they could have done it over 2 books or started the book further along and been a really good read. I won’t mention the author or book but it really stands out in what you mentioned.
Other books have I guess black moments but they are not as bad they are more little mis understandings. Penny Zeller’s Love Underconstruction has a one of these. Its more from overhearing part of a converstation and putting 2 and 2 together and getting 10. But its a fun read for the most part.
I hope your recovery is going well.
Hi, Jaycee! Oh, my heart breaks at the fear and sense of potential loss that you have had to bear. Even after 60-plus years, I find myself worrying that I am the one who needs to be strong and responsible all on my own. And that I will be judged (if only by me) on my performance. The black moments in fiction that hit me the hardest are the ones that echo my own fear of loneliness. The ones that give me the most joy and hope are those where the reader gets to see that the darkness is only in the heart of one character and the love of the other is already sure and full.
In the past, I have joked about the idea that, sometimes, the blows that we receive from God are hard because we have some BIG chunks of sin or self that won’t come loose any other way. That can still be true, but I am increasingly aware of the idea that seems like a paradox to us perfectionists. Namely, God has placed within us a greater strength than we understand. We really are capable because of His grace. Not to our own credit but to His. We find ourselves in situations like my older sister when she was a child, saying, “But, Mommy, I can’t say spaghetti.” We stand before God and say, “But, Abba, I’m too weak to stand.” We focus on our fear and how much it terrified us to go through that black moment when the call is to turn to God in grateful joy for His gracious provision. On many an occasion I have been guilty of at least thinking, “God, You better not do THAT again!”
I think the paradox stems from the fact that we judge the circumstance based on our own expectations. God, in His perfection, then does something utterly and painfully different. For our good and His glory and sometimes in ways that can only be seen from the perspective of heaven.
After years, now, of having to humbly accept help because of my health and circumstances, I have found that God is so humble as to be willing to stoop down even to me and give it. What an amazing lover of my soul! I begin to see that my idea of perfection is a pretty shoddy one after all.
I am so glad to know that you are doing better and that you will be able to share your journey at the coming conference. Your comment about the vital role of story and indeed of testimony in our lives is so spot on. When our hearts speak from the depth of our own experience, we echo the truth of Who God is and how He has made the world to work, broken though it is.
We do well to remember that the strength within us is based on the foundation of God’s saving love and built by the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit. With that in mind, we can understand that our stumbles and failures and dark moments are met by the loving hand of God who guides His precious toddlers, encourages us as we learn and (bless His holy name) changes our diapers!
Thanks for a wonderful post, Jaycee!
I think everyone has have some kind of black moments the last few years with covid and not so black moments first my grandma supassed away suddenly on March 24 2020 she was 90 but it was suddenly cause she fell and got brain bleeds and only her children and there spouses and her husband could go to the funeral since it was at the very beginning of covid and where I live everything was in lock down. Then my sister in law found out she is prenant then my mom found out she is pregnant with baby number 13. Then my brother had to go down to California for a major surgery and him and my mom and dad were down there for 5 weeks and no body could go see him then my other sister in law found out she was pregnant after she had four miscarriages then my sister in law had my first niece named violet then my mom had my baby sister in October then my sister got engaged in November and got married in January 2021 but only could have 30 people at her wedding because of all the covid restrictions then In may 2021 my nephew was born and in October my sister had her first baby and November my sister in law had her second baby girl.also my mom was homeschooling 6 of the kids since schools where closed and she had a new baby so it was to hard to get the kids on zoom when she had a new baby.know my siblings are in regular school so my mom is glad about that my mom had to homeschool the first year of covid.
I know there r books with black moments but I can’t think of them.
The one book that came to mind after reading your question was Magnolia Storms by Janet W. Ferguson. I wrote as part of my review that it was “a beautiful testimony of God’s love even in the midst of so much loss and life’s difficult storms.” I think that’s the beauty of CF: it’s not necessary for the reader to have faced the same things as the characters in order for their black moment + lesson to resonate with them.
Hope everything goes well with the conference!
That book (whole series, really) is EXCELLENT! Great suggestion, thank you! Spot on in your comments as well.
I have been following your story and I continue to Pray for you Jaycee! Thank you for the post ! Have a Blessed Day!
Thank you, Sarah!
I have been following your journey from last year, Jaycee. I have been praying for your health as well. I am so glad that you are doing better. Thank you for sharing.
The book that sticks with me right now, maybe because I just read it a couple of week’s ago, is Heather Blanton’s “In Time for Christmas”. It was a time travel story. I had not read any time travel stories and wasn’t sure I would like it. The story was just so spellbinding. The heroine had moved away from God because of her circumstances. The pivotal moment was when she realized that God had always been with her. I don’t even know how to explain it. I still get anxious thinking about it. It definately had an impact. It was an awesome book.
I think what we all need to hold onto, like you said, is hope. Hope has gotten me through many days. Hope and knowing that God is in charge.
Thank you and God bless.
Amen and thank you for following along with me. 😊 your words really resonate.
Hope Beyond the Waves by Heidi Chiavaroli
Thanks for the suggestion!
Thank you for sharing this with us , because it is so very real, I do like to read about them in books because at least it makes a person think that it is not just feeling it but there are alot of people feeling that way, and with God’s help there is a way out, a better way. My Heart Weeps is a very good book that I really enjoyed about a lady grieving. And I think that Little Women is also a great read. I also think that The Cowgirls Redemption is also a good one that falls in this category. Have a great day and a great week, take care my friend. Praying for you.
Great recommendations, Alicia. Thank you! 😊
I’ll keep praying for you and for all of the authors out there who continually pour their souls out onto the pages. My inspirational book (although I LOVE the Anne of Green Gables suggestion) is When The Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer. Her black moment will make you gasp and weep for her.
Ooh, I’ll have to take a look at that one. Thank you so much (for the prayers and recommendation)!
The story that resonated with me deeper than any other, was Heather Blanton’s first book in her Burning Dress series, A Distant Heart. Continuing to pray for you, Jaycee!!
Thanks for the recommendation and prayers, Trudy!
welcome today and thanks for being so open. I know I have had many black moments in the past. I have learned that when I go through a black moment God not only has my back, but he teaches me something through it all. during those times I like to read Jen Turano and Jody Hedlund. I know there are more, but cant think of them off hand.
Jen Turano is very funny. Thank you so much for sharing. God definitely has our back (and front and everywhere else ha ha!). 😁
I’ll be praying for you. I’ve had some really black moments and felt like I was drowning but with God we get through the fire and come out refined. Thank you for sharing.
Amen!
Thank you and amen!
During this last two years of our lives to be honest I’ve stopped reading books with those black moments and leaned more to RomComs. One of my fav RomCom authors is Liwen.
Me too, honestly! I adore Liwen’s books as well. ☺️
I’m so pleased the poster above mentioned LM Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables because it’s exactly what I was thinking of, at the end of ‘Anne of the Island’, I can really remember reading it for the first time, and the power of the verse it quotes, Psalms 30 v 5.
I’m sorry to hear you’ve been going through black times Jaycee, I think you’re so right that sharing your experience can help others and you’re very brave to do so.
Thank you, Ruthie!
I know there have been some pivotal moments but unfortunately I cannot think of one at the moment.
lol it really is hard to think of things on the spot!
Wow that is a hard one! Anne of Green Gables LM Montgomery Cinderella by Disney I’m sure there are waaay more current books and authors but i can’t think of them atm.